Fred Astaire Dance Studios — Local services in Town of Amherst

Yuliya is wonderful to work with! She is very professional, friendly, and has a calming presence about her at what can be a stressful time for a person new to dancing. She was always flexible in scheduling my private dance lessons as I have a busy schedule and she did her best to accommodate my time slots. I was nervous when I got to my first meeting but the Fred Astaire staff is very good at making you feel welcome and comfortable. Everyone in the studio takes a moment to stop and say 'hi' each time you come in for a lesson. Even though Yuliya is my instructor, all of the staff have been willing to offer me additional tips on how to improve my dancing technique. I was paired up with an instructor during my introductory session where I was shown multiple dances so I could try to decide which dance would best suite me. After my introductory class I decided that this was a great fit for me. Not only did I get lessons but I was invited to dance parties to practice. There's a great community vibe at Fred Astaire Dance Studio -- everyone is welcome, no one is judged for how little or how much they know, and everyone is encouraged to have fun and just enjoy themselves. They throw great little themed "dance party" nights where people can practice, learn new styles, socialize and have just have fun. I really enjoyed coming here and I would highly recommend it for anyone wanting to start dancing, get better, or just be around great people .The overall experience has been enjoyable for a beginner dancer. I would recommend this to anyone that is either a beginner or experienced dancer and looking to learn or tune their dancing skills. Yours, " The...

I have been a student at Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Williamsville NY for several years, and enjoy it very much. They teach all styles of ballroom dancing, and you don't need a partner. The studio will match you with a professional teacher as partner. The instructors are all very professional and knowledgeable, and also friendly and encouraging. You can choose from a wide variety of styles of dances to learn, including Smooth dances such as Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, and Viennese Waltz, and also Rhythm dances such as Swing, Cha Cha, Rumba, Mambo, Bolero, or West Coast Swing, and others. Both private lessons and group classes are offered each week, and monthly social dance parties are also offered. The atmosphere in the studio is always fun, and it's a great way to meet other students who are friendly people sharing similar experiences. The dance practice is a great way to keep in shape mentally as well as physically. Your teacher will make you feel that you are able to do all these cool dances, and show...

Awful business practices, high prices. The instruction from FA is generally good, but you're pushed into high cost packages that cover franchise fees for a parent company that is predatory and just awful. Go to an independent dance studio, get better quality for less money.

Packages from FA tend to feel like used car sales, high pressure, packages that take a bit of math to figure out what they actually cost. Another disappointing aspect is the "showcase", to show off your hard work and money spent, you get to pay money to show up, then pay money per dance (I'd get it if they were all at a different location but often they're in studio, the out of studio ones are even more money). You also have to either buy tickets for your friends to watch, or coerce them to pay. It can cost a couple $200+ for one showcase.

Everything from FA seems like way to line the pockets of the owners and the...